A Killer's Encounter With God

Quoted below is an excerpt from Catholic San Francisco [1]:

In 2005, 26 years after Wimberly’s conviction for participating in the murder of his best friend’s parents, he said he experienced the assurance of God’s love for the first time while on a Kairos prison ministry retreat at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego. He admits that what he had most wanted from the retreat at the time was the attendance certificate that could improve his chance of parole. He got the certificate and more.

A Zen Buddhist at the time, Wimberly was nonetheless open to the possibility of an encounter with God.

He recalled sitting motionless with his eyes closed and asking God to reveal himself if he was “for real.” He said he sensed a tiny dot of light near him grow larger and brighter until, he said, “it filled me up so much I literally thought I was about to die.”

“The way I see it, I received a pinhole vision of heaven,” Wimberly said. “I met Christ that day.”
- See more at: http://www.catholic-sf.org/ns.php?newsid=22&id=62313#sthash.x9Cq3vl4.dpuf

In 2005, 26 years after [Kent] Wimberly’s conviction for participating in the murder of his best friend’s parents, he said he experienced the assurance of God’s love for the first time while on a Kairos prison ministry retreat at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego. He admits that what he had most wanted from the retreat at the time was the attendance certificate that could improve his chance of parole. He got the certificate and more.

A Zen Buddhist at the time, Wimberly was nonetheless open to the possibility of an encounter with God.

He recalled sitting motionless with his eyes closed and asking God to reveal himself if he was “for real.” He said he sensed a tiny dot of light near him grow larger and brighter until, he said, “it filled me up so much I literally thought I was about to die.”

“The way I see it, I received a pinhole vision of heaven,” Wimberly said. “I met Christ that day.” 

Although the article did not mention it, I would think that the vision was as vivid for Kent Wimberly as it was nine years ago on the day he recounted it during the interview with the reporter.

Does anyone believe Kent Wimberly had the vision?  I do, without a doubt.  However, I would like to disagree somewhat with his conclusion that he met Christ that day.  I believe he encountered the Holy Spirit as opposed to the resurrected Christ.  From my personal experience [2], I believe that the Holy Spirit is immense, so much so that nothing contains it.  It is boundless, and coextensive with time's timelessness.

Indeed, the Holy Spirit starts out small and gentle, almost inconsequential.  One can even describe It as shy but when you welcome It, It is not longer shy, no longer a whimper as It steadily expands, bigger and bigger within you until your body is physically unable to contain It any further.  Indeed, if you do not ask It to please stop, It will suffocate you and probably break you.  When It leaves, you can breath again and you have your life back.  At that moment, you love your life because you were just a second earlier near death.  On the other hand, what better death can one hope for than death by the Holy Spirit, a part of the Holy Trinity?

A death sentence was not what God had in mind for Kent Wimberly.  Who are we then to judge and sentence anyone to death?  Should we not allow sinners time to repent and return to God?

Speaking of judging, which I do a lot of especially with respect to the direction of the Catholic church today and her custodians, one ought not to for the very reason that even a murderer can experience God of Whom the Holy Spirit is an integral part.  I do not foresee myself stopping my judgments anytime soon, but I will try to reduce my occasions of judgment and remain neutral, and move on to holier and happier topics.  Hopefully, I will succeed.

Fast forward from 1979, 35 years ago when Kent Wimberly was convicted for participating in the double murder of his best friend's parents [3], Oscar Pistorius is on trial for killing his girlfriend an ocean and a continent away in South Africa [4].  Who is to judge who was wrong in this case?  Was Oscar Pistorius wrong in killing whoever was in the bathroom at the time?  Even if he knew his girlfriend was in the bathroom, was Oscar Pistorius the only wrongdoer here?  Of course, Oscar Pistorius should not be firing his gun at anyone in case someone gets killed.  As it happened, someone was killed.  Was his girlfriend partly to blame?  In a text message, Oscar Pistorius said, "'I was upset that you just left me after we got food to go talk to a guy and I was standing right behind you watching you touch his arm and ignore me.'" [5]  This is a 27-year old man who is physically handicapped and who had a tragic childhood. [6]  Can he be blamed for being a bit insecure when his girlfriend flirted with another man? [7]  Was she after all the one who walked into his life when he was dating someone else?  The flip side of this is Oscar Pistorius cheated on his former girlfriend: "Another witness who testified Friday, former Pistorius girlfriend Samantha Taylor, said their relationship ended when he cheated on her with Steenkamp." [8]  Neither party is completely innocent.  It does take two to tango, so to speak.

Even if Oscar Pistorius shot his girlfriend with premeditation, or perhaps in rage, would he find God some time in his life?  It took Kent Wimberly 26 years to find God.  If Oscar Pistorius takes the same amount of time, he would be 53 years old if he does.  That is not too late.  It could be too late if one dies Godless but one never knows the breadth of God's forgiveness and the depth of God's love so it might not be too late.  The prayer of Fatima would help those souls who have most need of God's mercy. [9]  Any soul could be a candidate and I am mindful of that.



[1] http://www.catholic-sf.org/ns.php?newsid=22&id=62313
[2] Perhaps someday I will write about it.
[3] http://www.catholic-sf.org/ns.php?newsid=22&id=62313
[4] http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/26/world/africa/prosecution-rests-case-in-pistorius-murder-trial.html?_r=0
[5] Ibid.
[6] http://www.biography.com/people/oscar-pistorius-20910935
[7]   http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/26/world/africa/prosecution-rests-case-in-pistorius-murder-trial.html?_r=0
[8] http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/07/world/africa/oscar-pistorius-trial-fifth-day/
[9] "Oh My Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who have most need of Thy mercy."  See http://www.ourcatholicprayers.com/fatima-prayers.html , or "Domine Iesu, dimitte nobis debita nostra, salva nos ab igne inferiori, perduc in caelum omnes animas, praesertim eas, quae misericordiae tuae maxime indigent."  See http://catholicforum.fisheaters.com/index.php/topic,2636472.0.html, line 1.

In 2005, 26 years after Wimberly’s conviction for participating in the murder of his best friend’s parents, he said he experienced the assurance of God’s love for the first time while on a Kairos prison ministry retreat at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego. He admits that what he had most wanted from the retreat at the time was the attendance certificate that could improve his chance of parole. He got the certificate and more.

A Zen Buddhist at the time, Wimberly was nonetheless open to the possibility of an encounter with God.

He recalled sitting motionless with his eyes closed and asking God to reveal himself if he was “for real.” He said he sensed a tiny dot of light near him grow larger and brighter until, he said, “it filled me up so much I literally thought I was about to die.”

“The way I see it, I received a pinhole vision of heaven,” Wimberly said. “I met Christ that day.”
- See more at: http://www.catholic-sf.org/ns.php?newsid=22&id=62313#sthash.x9Cq3vl4.dpuf